Tuesday, November 2, 2004

 

Spotlight: Topic of the Day: Today is Election Day in the United States. Bush or Kerry? The Electoral College vote promises to be close. (story) (results in progress)

Quote: "Those who stay away from the election think that one vote will do no good: 'Tis but one step more to think one vote will do no harm." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Word of the day: roman-fleuve -- /roe-maan-floev'/ [French: river novel] a novel in the form of a long chronicle of a social group (as a family or a community), often in many volumes; coined for Balzac's Comedie Humaine. (© )

Today's News:

• Bulgaria -- archeologists strike gold in search for ancient Thracians (story)
• dihydrogen monoxide -- high levels of bacteria found in bottled water (story)
• James Bond -- Pierce Brosnan announces his favorite for 007 replacement (story)

Today's History:

• statehood -- North Dakota and South Dakota were admitted to the Union (1889)
• elected -- Warren Harding (1921), Harry Truman (1948), and Jimmy Carter (1976) were chosen U.S. President
• Ngo Dinh Diem -- S. Vietnamese President was assassinated in a military coup (1963)

Today's Birthdays:

• Marie-Antoinette -- the queen of France who supposedly said "Let them eat cake" (1755-1793)
• chief executive -- James Polk (1795-1849) and Warren Harding (1865-1923)
• Pat Buchanan -- CNN political commentator turns 66